Demand Gen campaign asset specs and best practices

Single image ads

Mobile

This is an illustration of single image ads on YouTube in-feed for mobile.

This is an illustration of single image ads on YouTube Shorts, Discover, and Gmail for mobile.

Desktop

This is an illustration of single image ads on YouTube in-feed for desktop.

This is an illustration of single image ads on Gmail for desktop.

Feature Specifications
Image Can support up to 20
  • Landscape image:
    • Dimensions: 1.91:1
    • Min. size: 600x314. Recommended: 1200x628
    • 5MB max file size
  • Square image:
    • Min. size: 300x300. Recommended: 1200x1200
    • 5MB max file size
  • Portrait 4:5 image (optional):
    • Min. dimension: 480x600. Recommended: 960x1200
    • 5MB max file size

Best practice: Upload 3 of each aspect ratio for maximum placement coverage.

Note: GIF file types are accepted but only a static version will be displayed.

Headline (40 characters max.) Up to 5
Description (90 characters max.) Up to 5
Business name (25 characters max.) 1 (required)
Square logo

Up to 5

  • 1:1 (required).
  • Min. size: 144x144. Recommended: 1200x1200
  • 150KB max file size
  • Overall 21.46% gets cropped (gray shaded area) so roughly 5.36% on each of the 4 corners that will be cropped when this is shown as a circle on Gmail.

An icon that represents a business logo in Google ads.

Final URL  
CTA Recommend choosing the “automated” option selection made from drop-down list.

Carousel ad

Showcase your brand or products in a swipeable image carousel, rendered natively across each Google feed. Tell a story across your images, as each image will be displayed in the order they’re uploaded.

Tip

Test one carousel ad with landscape images and a second with square images to understand which aspect ratio works best for your brand.
Notes:
  • You can’t currently use product feeds from Google Merchant Center with carousel ads.
  • The cost of carousel ads are the same as single image ads (pay for “interactions” or clicks to expand the ad on Gmail or to your website on YouTube and Discover).
  • If at least one card is disapproved, the ad status column will be marked as “Approved (limited)” and within 24 hours it will change to “Disapproved”. This is a known issue and will be resolved soon. The ad won’t serve in this case.

Mobile

An illustration of YouTube carousel ads on mobile devices.

An illustration of YouTube, Discover, and Gmail carousel ads on mobile devices.

Desktop

An illustration of Gmail carousel ads on desktop devices.

Level Feature Specifications
Ad level

Headline (40 characters max.)

Include a headline that shows no matter which card is showing.

Description (90 characters max.)

Upload a description that shows no matter which card is showing.

(You will not be able to upload descriptions for each card)

Final URL

Auto-generated Visible URL is provided in the UI.

Business name (25 characters max.)

1 (required)
Card level Image

2 to 10 Images

  • Landscape image:
    • Dimensions: 1.91:1
    • Min. size: 600x314. Recommended: 1200x628
    • 5MB max file size
  • Square image:
    • Min. size: 300x300. Recommended: 1200x1200
    • 5MB max file size (not supported in Discover)
  • Portrait 4:5 image (optional)
    • Min. dimension: 480x600. Recommended: 960x1200
    • 5MB max file size

Aspect ratio must be consistent across all cards.

Headline (40 characters max.)

Enter a headline that shows on a given card (not supported on Discover, which uses the ad-level headline no matter which card is showing).

Business name (25 characters max.)

1 (required)

Square logo Up to 1
  • Dimensions: 1:1 (required).
  • Min. size: 144x144. Recommended: 1200x1200
  • 150KB max file size.
  • Overall 21.46% gets cropped (gray shaded area) so roughly 5.36% on each of the 4 corners that will be cropped when this is shown as a circle on Gmail.

An icon that represents a business logo in Google ads.

Final URL You can provide a specific landing page for each card on YouTube and Gmail.
CTA Recommend choosing the “automated” option selection made from drop-down list.
Note: If one card is disapproved in your Carousel ad, the other cards will still serve.

Video ads

Mobile

An illustration of how YouTube video ads are shown on mobile devices.

An illustration of how YouTube and Discover video ads are shown on mobile devices.

Desktop

An illustration of how YouTube video ads are shown on desktop devices.

CTV

An illustration of how YouTube video ads are shown on CTV devices.

Feature Specifications
Video

1-5 advertiser uploaded videos

Video length: Minimum 5 seconds

  • Shorts: Max. length of one minute, 10-20 seconds recommended
  • Landscape: No max. length, under 3 minutes recommended
  • Square: No max. length, under 3 minutes recommended

Landscape: 16:9. Recommended pixels for HD: 1920x1080px

Square: 1:1. Recommended pixels for HD: 1080x1080px

Portrait: 4:5

Vertical: 9:16. Recommended pixels for HD: 1080x1920px

Format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4)

File size: ≤256 GB

Full specs in this article.

Note: You can't upload an offline video. Search for a video that you’ve uploaded to YouTube, or enter the video URL from YouTube. You can also create a new video ad with video builder.

If you don't want your video to serve on YouTube, you may use an unlisted YouTube video in the campaign.

Call to action Max. 10 characters
Headline

Max. 40 characters
*different from legacy Video action campaigns

Used in the skippable in-stream ad format

Long headline

Max. 90 characters

Used in the in-feed video ad format (Discover and YouTube)

Description

Max. 90 characters
*different from legacy Video action campaigns

Business name (25 char max)

1 (required)

YouTube will default to YouTube channel name.

Square logo

Up to 1

  • 1:1 (required)
  • Min. size: 144x144. Recommended: 1200x1200
  • 150KB max file size
  • Overall 21.46% gets cropped (gray shaded area) so roughly 5.36% on each of the 4 corners that will be cropped when this is shown as a circle on Gmail.

An icon that represents a business logo in Google ads.

YouTube will default to YouTube channel logo.

Sitelinks (optional)

Can show up to 4

Used in the skippable in-stream ad format

Only available on mobile


Audio and auto-play defaults

When the video ad is in-view, the ad will follow the below sound-on and auto-play defaults per placement:

  • Discover: Default muted, default auto-play with WiFi connection
  • YouTube Home feed: Default muted, default auto-play
  • YouTube In-Stream: Post tap sound on, default auto-play
  • YouTube Watch Next: Post Tap sound on and auto-play
  • YouTube Shorts: Default sound on, default auto-play

Video optimization tips

  • Grab attention from your audience: Captivate people in the first 5-10 seconds of the ad with a problem statement and show how your product or service solves it.
  • Repeat what you’re offering: Echo the call-to-action in the voiceover or include it in superimposed graphics.

Video ad safe zones

An image showing the safe zone area for YouTube Horizontal Video ads in mobile devicesAn image showing the safe zone area for YouTube Vertical Video ads in mobile devices


Dynamic product shopping ads

This image shows dynamic Demand Gen ad formats for YouTube in-feed on mobile, including Home, Watch, and Search.

This image shows dynamic Demand Gen ad formats for YouTube in-feed on mobile, including Home, Watch, and Search.

This image shows dynamic Demand Gen ad formats for YouTube in-feed and YouTube Shorts on mobile.

This image shows dynamic Demand Gen ad formats for Discover and Gmail on mobile.

This image shows dynamic Demand Gen ad formats for Gmail on desktop.

Demand Gen product ads render as a single-merchant carousel ad, in which relevant products and offers from your Google Merchant Center feed populates a scrollable ad.

Learn about Google Merchant Center product feed specifications.

Feature Specifications
Card headline GMC feed
Card description Required, GMC feed
Card image Required, GMC feed
Card landing page Required, GMC feed
Logo GMC feed
Business name GMC feed
Short title

Optional, GMC feed

A short title that will help users remember your product or brand as they browse Demand Gen feeds.

Lifestyle image

Optional, GMC feed

An inspirational image that will capture users’ attention as they browse Demand Gen feeds.

Related links

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